Recorded Data Hardware and software services

The Department for Transport & Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) are publishing this PIN to engage with the market to understand the capacity, capability and experience of suppliers to provide hardware and software support services to and work alongside the AAIB’s specialist flight recorder staff. A significant part of an aircraft accident investigation involves the recovery and analysis of information contained in the aircraft flight recorders, (the "black" boxes) and the AAIB also recovers and analyses recorded information from a variety of additional airborne and ground-based sources. The AAIB is committed to a programme of continuous improvement in order to meet its statutory obligations. The concept of the need to maintain adequate flight recorder replay and analysis facilities has been recognised and is part of the AAIB Business Plan. The programme, which began in 1987, is necessary to meet advances in flight recorder and avionics technology caused, in the main, by the requirement to record ever more information on the behaviour and performance of modern public transport aircraft so that the causes and circumstances of an accident or serious incident may be determined quickly and cost effectively. Whilst a large part of the development is undertaken by specialist AAIB inspectors, some tasks, in particular the provision of some software and hardware expertise, is contracted out with the AAIB inspectors working alongside specialist independent suppliers. This contract is likely to run for a maximum period of 5 years including extension options (3+1+1).